The Taste of Fear
by Madam'zelleGiry
Summary: The Doctor has made many enemies over his lifetime. But what will happen when one of them takes a terrible revenge...on Sarah Jane?
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! This story is being largely revised, though the basic plot will stay the same. Reviews are always appreciated and each of them will be cherished._

A relationship with the Doctor never truly goes away. One could say, "Once a companion, always a companion." No one knows this better than Sarah Jane Smith. Her official title is 'former companion' but she knows in her heart that one is never truly an ex-companion. And she honestly believes that this is a good thing. She believes in him. And she knows that he will always come for her. Always.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Sarah Jane Smith was curled up on the window seat in her bedroom, gazing out at the darkness of Bannerman Road. The night was sporadically punctured by the occasional streetlight. Here and there, the lights appeared to flicker out. Obviously, no one had come by to do maintenance on them in quite a while. The shutters of the other houses were closed; after all it was nearly eleven o'clock at night. Really, she should have been in bed as well. But she couldn't sleep. Not after the message that she had received from UNIT.

Martha Jones had telephoned her earlier in the day to inform her of the Doctor's response to Project Opal. It had been adamantly negative and those who held high positions in UNIT were extremely displeased. Judging by Martha's tone, Sarah Jane could only guess that they had given the Doctor more information than she herself had received. But, even so, she had to admit that she didn't like what little she had seen. Martha hadn't sounded surprised.

"Project Opal is badly planned, badly organized, and just plain bad news." She had said. "I'm surprised that the proposition has received as much attention as it has."

"I know." Sarah Jane had sighed. "The entire project seems absurd. Can you keep me updated on any progress that is made?"

"Of course."

Sarah Jane sighed and reached a hand back to push her dark hair out of her eyes. She had been in direct contact with Martha for the past few months; the relationship was one of two former companions of the Doctor. Sarah Jane had to admit that she liked the young woman; she could definitely see why the Doctor took her under his wing. She chuckled as she remembered her own sarcastic comment when she had first seen Rose: "I can tell you're getting older. Your assistants are getting younger." It was true that she had been jealous of Rose at first; she had known that the Doctor would choose someone to replace her. Of course he would. But somehow, seeing the actual young woman just made her feel incredibly old.

The clattering sound jerked her out of her musing, causing her to jump and whip her head around to face the closed bedroom door. She sat frozen in silence for a long moment, just listening but the sound wasn't repeated. In fact, the entire house was silent, just as it had been for the past few hours. _'Perhaps I just imagined it?'  
><em>  
>She turned back to the window and saw that all of the streetlights had now gone out. A mournful howl sounded as the wind began to pick up. She carefully got to her feet, taking deep, steadying breaths.<em> 'Easy, Sarah Jane. Easy, girl. You're just a bit jumpy because you're alone.' <em>That had to be it.

She was still getting used to Luke's absence. It was funny, really. She had spent so much time alone in her house on Bannerman Road before Luke had come into her life. He had had a bigger impact on her than she ever could have imagined. But, try as she might, she still couldn't convince herself that the feeling of fear in the pit of her stomach was false.  
>Glancing down at the yard below her window, she laughed quietly as a black cat yowled angrily, clattering dustbins as it scampered away. Of course. She was just being silly.<em> 'I must be jumpy if a cat can frighten me.'<em>

Still chuckling to herself, she rose from the window seat and crossed the room to sit on her bed. Sarah reached for the phone on her bedside table and lifted the receiver to her ear. She'd ring Luke at the university. Yes. He would be able to calm her down, just as he always had. Her slim fingers began to dial the number, knowing that simply hearing his voice would -

The door behind her gave a long, despondent creak as it slowly opened. Sarah Jane swallowed hard, not daring to turn around. That was definitely not a cat. But the sound didn't go away. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned around to face the door. And immediately wished that she hadn't looked. She could see a beefy hand grasping the wood and the strangled cry stuck in her throat.

"Hang up the phone, love."

Sarah Jane's hand shook as it hovered over the numbers. "Who are you?" The receiver moved away from her ear, her hand seemingly acting of its own accord and she hated herself for appearing to obey him. The owner of the hand on the door appeared, tall and thin. Surprising, really that the owner of such a muscular hand appear so bony? But she couldn't see his face and that was what frightened her most. "Hang up the phone, Miss Smith. Please." The last word was tacked on as an afterthought and the man crossed his arms.

"No, why should I?" Sarah was rather pleased with how steady her voice was, masking the terror that was churning in her stomach.

"Let's make this nice and easy, Miss. Hang up the phone and it will be much better for you." Another man appeared behind, all bent over and coughing. He did not speak and his face remained buried in his arm. Somehow the presence of this invalid made her stomach twist all the more.

"Who's that? What's going on?" Sarah could barely keep her fear in check as the phone dropped from her slack fingers to rattle onto the table. She prided herself for her ability to keep the fear out of her voice; no matter what she thought, she knew that she was doing a wonderful job keeping up the pretense of bravery.

The second man pulled something from a bag and she had a sneaking suspicion that it was not going to be anything pleasant. He approached her and she scrambled onto the bed, against the wall, trying to get away. She swallowed hard as her hand found the wall; she had nowhere to go. The hacking invalid stood at one end and the only other escape route was blocked by the second man. "No," she gasped out in horror as the needle appeared in the moonlight. The lamp on the bedside table clattered to the ground as he climbed onto the bed after her. "Please, no." She scrabbled backwards, knowing that it was useless. Sarah closed her eyes in apprehension of whatever was in the syringe, waiting for the impact. But the needle just scraped the bare flesh of her upper arm and the man retreated. Confused, she swallowed hard, taking deep breaths and examining the site that had been touched. There was nothing there. That didn't make sense. "What have you done?" She asked, not really expecting an answer.

But the man refused to answer and came at her with the needle again, entering the skin with a white hot jab. She gasped in spite of herself, feeling the icy liquid enter her veins. Consciousness began to slip away and the last thing she saw was the blurred face of the invalid, who had paused in his coughing long enough to savor his victory over her. Then…oblivion.


	2. Chapter 2

"But really, Doctor." Donna Noble laughed as she ran through the TARDIS doors after the jogging Time Lord.

"What?" The tenth incarnation of the Doctor danced around the controls, flipping switches and spinning dials. He paused long enough to shoot her an innocent glance. She stuck her tongue out at him. "All I said was that he looked his age. How was I supposed to know-" He broke off suddenly as the monitor on the panel gave off a ping. "Oh, someone's trying to get in touch."

A few buttons and switches later, the face of a young boy appeared on the screen. His features appeared taught with worry as he waited impatiently for the Doctor to respond. "Doctor, are you there?"

The Doctor studied the boy for a moment before his face lit up with recognition. "Oh, it's Luke! How are you, Lukie boy?" "It's Mum, Doctor. She's she's ill. Very ill." Luke appeared to swallow hard and he looked over his shoulder at the attic door.

"What do you mean she's ill?" The Doctor's voice sounded falsely nonchalant, as though he was trying to hide his true concern. However, Donna saw his long fingers activate the scanner and plug in a number. She chose not to speak, though only because she could sense the danger of the situation. She hadn't seen the Doctor this tense since back in Pompeii and that simple fact bothered her. This was not a good sign.

"I paid her a visit this morning." said Luke, obviously having difficulty keeping his own emotions in check. Well, not everyone was as good at acting as the Doctor was. "When I arrived at the house, she didn't come to the door, which isn't like her at all. I went up to her bedroom and she was just lying there on the floor. I haven't been able to wake her up and she's freezing. What's more, I think that someone broke into the house last night. I wasn't there." The boy's voice dropped to a whisper and he couldn't look at the screen. "I should have been there."

In that instant, Donna could see everything that this woman meant to the Doctor flash over his face in a split second. A vortex of emotions that threatened to consume him as he listened in silence to the distraught teenager. Shock. Pain. Denial. Fear. Anger. Fury. And she knew. She saw the pain of a great man and knew. He would do anything it took to save Sarah Jane Smith. Anything.

"Don't worry, Luke." The Doctor's voice was steady now. Steady and determined. Donna actually found it difficult to comprehend how quickly the Time Lord was able to switch emotions. "I'll be right there."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Luke was sitting by her bedside when he finally arrived, holding his mother's hand with a shaking grasp. He looked up as the Doctor and Donna entered. The Doctor's face was pensive as he knelt down beside the bed, his keen eyes sweeping up and down her still form. It had seemed like an eternity before they had arrived on Bannerman Road, though in reality it had only been about the equivalent of ten minutes. Time worked in strange ways, sometimes. She lay on the neatly made bed, eyes peacefully closed, seemingly in a natural sleep.

"How long has she been like this?" His voice was tight as he fumbled in his jacket for the sonic screwdriver. This called for some serious scanning.

"Since I arrived. She was just lying on the floor but there was a needle mark on her upper left arm. It must have been administered forcibly because there was blood on her sleeve. I think she fought them before she lost consciousness." Luke crossed his arms and bit the inside of his cheek as he silently watched the Doctor begin to scan her with the sonic screwdriver.

'Good for you, Sarah Jane Smith.' He almost smiled in spite of himself. That was his Sarah Jane. A fighter to the end. No. He absolutely must not say 'the end'. That made it seem like the situation was hopeless. Which it certainly was not. At least that's what he must continue telling himself. If he wanted to keep his sanity, anyway.

What worried him the most was her general appearance. Because, despite the fact that she was deathly pale, she almost appeared healthy. When he reached for her hand, he discovered that it was literally as cold as a block of ice. It was almost like...no. That wasn't possible. He shook himself mentally to rid himself of such a ridiculous notion. This was nothing like that because it wasn't physically possible. That disease was long gone. This only resembled it, which made sense. That was how the disease he was thinking of had originally come into being. Shaking the thought away, he gently moved her arm to examine the needle mark. Her blouse had been torn, presumably in her attempt to fight off her attackers. She really was a fighter; he could remember that from when she traveled with him. Oh, the adventures they had been on and the scrapes they had gotten themselves into and out of.

The Doctor turned back to the expectant faces of Luke and Donna after having examined the raw skin around the needle site. "I don't know what it is." He said softly, as much as it pained him to admit it. "We'll try to keep her warm and see what happens."

Luke frowned suspiciously. "But Doctor," he began.

"Can you help me find her another blanket?" asked Donna, sensing the Time Lord's distress. She knelt down next to the Doctor and put one hand on his shoulder in a soothing attempt to comfort him. As Luke left the room in search of a blanket, she squeezed the Doctor's shoulder gently. "I'm sure that she'll be all right, Doctor."

He didn't appear to hear her words as he got to his feet, and gently lifted the unconscious woman off the bed, nodding for Donna to turn down the blankets. As she pulled the sheets back, she shot a glance at the door, wondering if Luke was all right. Then the Doctor tenderly laid Sarah Jane down on the bed, tucking the blankets around her freezing form. Donna observed him for moment, just marveling at his affection towards Sarah Jane Smith. Who exactly was this woman? However, she could tell that the best thing she could do now was leave them alone. The Doctor was in enough pain that she would leave him to his own devices. At least for now. "What about a hot water bottle? And a cup of tea? Nice cup of tea?" She offered, giving him a chance to accept the offer of privacy.

He nodded, offering her a slight smile before turning back to Sarah. "Thanks," he said quietly.

Understanding that she had been dismissed, Donna made her way out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Donna got about halfway down the hallway before she met Luke. The teenager was carrying a thick quilt, splattered with brilliant colors and designs. Donna wondered if Sarah Jane had made it. She smiled at him, reading the worry written all over his face.

"Donna Noble. We really weren't introduced."  
>He extended his hand and offered a smile. "Luke Smith."<br>So that's your mum in there. She said, motioning for him to sit down on the top of the stairs with her. He did so, trying not to show how grateful his was for a distraction.

Yeah, he said, hugging the quilt to his chest. Well, she s not really my real mum. She adopted me a while ago.

That's pretty special, she said kindly. I can tell that you really love her.

And she loves me. A lot. Luke sighed and shook his head. It's so hard to see her like this. I was so scared when I found that I couldn't wake her up. I didn't know what to do.

Well you seemed to know. You called the Doctor. That was definitely right. She smiled.

He returned her smile, though only faintly. Yeah. I guess it was. He paused, looking over his shoulder at the closed door. Do you think that the Doctor will be able to help her?

Donna paused for a split second before answering. She didn't really have to think about the answer. Oh yes. She said confidently. If anyone in the world could help your mum, it'll be the Doctor.


	3. Chapter 3

The guard, a boy of about twenty one, stretched and yawned as he leaned back in his chair. This was really one of the most boring jobs in the universe. Whoever this person was, he didn't need twenty four hour guarding, no matter what the boss said. All you had to do was look at him to know that he was completely harmless. The big boss must be going mad. Pressure of his job, no doubt. Shaking his head, he dug his phone out of his pocket and switched it on. Technically he was not supposed to be texting on the job. But it wasn't like he was shirking on his duties. There was absolutely nothing to do anyway.

The chuckle sounded dry and maniacal from where the man sat in his prison cell. The guard jumped in surprise at the sound and spun around in his chair to face the prisoner. The man's laughter increased at the look on the boy's face. 

"Hush, you." The inexperienced boy's voice shook slightly as he tried to sound tough and in command. This prisoner might be mad but he couldn't be dangerous. And the guard was in charge; the prisoner would have no choice but to listen to him. Right? 

The laughter changed and now sounded high and clear and Mr. Limpet rocked back and forth on the bench of his prison cell. 

"Have you gone mad?" the boy demanded, getting to his feet and dialing a number on his phone. "I'm going to need some backup," he said into the device. "It's Mr. Limpet. He's -" He broke off as Mr. Limpet leapt to his feet and threw himself against the bars, a wild look on his worn features. "What's the matter with you?" 

"Will you get a message to the Doctor?" His voice sounded dry and gravelly as his eyes wandered in a frenzied manner. "Will you? WILL YOU?" 

The guard stepped back in alarm as Mr. Limpet bangs his fists against the bars. "I…I…" he stuttered. This was not in the job description for the assignment. What was going on? Nobody had said that this guy was insane. Not good. Really not good. 

"You're wasting my time, boy! Will you?" The last two words came out in a furious growl and the boy shuddered involuntarily. 

"Yes, sir." He gulped. 

"Tell him that I hope he enjoys his little gift." He began to chuckle again as he began to step backwards towards the stone wall of the prison cell. 

"What gift, sir?" asked the guard, secretly hoping that the madman would not answer. 

"He'll know. Or, should I say, Miss Smith will know. Soon enough. If she doesn't know already." The chuckle morphed into howling laughter and Mr. Limpet collapsed onto the bench. 

"BACKUP!" The guard screeched into his phone. "I need some BACKUP! NOW!" He shook slightly as he waited for the help to come. Somebody else could take over this job. Suddenly his old kitchen duty seemed a hell of a lot more appealing.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor answered the phone, the one that Martha had given him, on the first ring. "This is the Doctor." He sounded stiff and unemotional as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. Luke had sent him down to the kitchen for something to eat, insisting that the Time Lord couldn't keep going forever. Sarah still hadn't revived but appeared to be recovering. He supposed that he should take comfort in that fact but worry kept nagging at him…

"Doctor." The voice of the person on the other end shook terribly and raised an octave on the next few words. "I can't stay with Mr. Limpet anymore, sir. I just can't."

"What's happened? Who's Mr. Limpet? Who is this?" The number that had shown up proved that this boy was a member of UNIT. He had decided that it would be beneficial for them to have his number, even though he knew that they would likely abuse the privilege. However, the words of the boy had caused dread to ball up in his stomach. Whatever the boy was referring to, it could not be good news.

"He's mad, sir. Completely mad. He's just sitting here laughing." The boy sounded close to tears. "He wanted me to deliver a message to you, Doctor."

"What is it?" He asked, dreading the answer.

"He hopes you and Miss Smith will enjoy his little gift."

The Doctor could feel the words punching his stomach and evacuating the breath from his lungs. Oh no…"What do you mean? Who is this man? What's going on?"

"I don't know, sir. He was taken into UNIT custody a short time ago for openly trying to reveal top secret government plans. He's nothing more than a madman and his information was inaccurate. But now I don't know what to think."

The Doctor stood still for a long moment, listening with half an ear to the boy. One sentence, however, resonated above the others. "Project Opal…." The phone clattered unnoticed to the ground as the Doctor ran back towards the bedroom; all he wanted was to see her, to see for himself that she was all right. She had to be all right. The idea that Project Opal was involved seemed to confirm the fear that had been nagging at the back of his mind. Because it made it a lot more likely that his initial reaction towards her disease was correct. And that was bad. Very bad.

He finally reached her; his breath caught in his throat and both of his hearts stopped. Sarah Jane looked bad. Very bad. Her skin was deathly pale except for the flushed roses in her cheeks, her forehead covered in a thin sheen of sweat. As he reached for her hand, he could see the muscles in her fingers clenching and unclenching of their own accord. "Oh Sarah," His voice came out in a strangled whisper.

She seemed to respond to his voice, shifting in her sleep and murmuring softly. He lifted a hand to stroke her hair and almost jumped back as he felt the heat radiating from her small body. The light touch on her temples seemed to frighten her and she shook her head in protest, whimpering softly. The sound only served to fuel the fire of rage that had burned in his hearts for hours now. This unknown fever…it had reduced this brave, alive woman to a delusional coma.

His cool hand found her sweaty one and held it tight. "Hold on, Sarah." He turned to Luke, who stood behind him. "How long has she been like this?" But, Luke could only shake his head, helplessly.

"I've had Mr. Smith run a full mediscan on her."

"And?" asked Donna, who hadn't left Sarah's side for the past few hours.

"Nothing." Luke threw up his hands in frustration, looking helplessly at the unconscious Sarah Jane.

Donna's hand found the Doctor's arm and offered it a comforting squeeze. He jumped slightly, not having realized that she had followed him here. "What about Martha? Could we ask Martha to take a look at her?" she asked him softly.

"I'll get Mr. Smith on it right now." Luke bolted from the room, apparently eager to do anything that could potentially help his mum.

"Donna," said the Doctor impatiently, waving her to listen and not taking his eyes off Sarah.

"Yes, Doctor." She said, gently, ready at his side.

"I have…an idea. But I need your help."

"Of course, anything." She said, eyeing his brooding face.

"Take her hand. Just…hold it for a moment." The Doctor shook as he gestured towards her.

Donna nodded, for once banishing all questions from her mind. She reached out and took one burning, sweaty hand. Sarah Jane's expression did not change. Then the Doctor took the same hand and she cried out in her sleep, pulling away from him.

"What's wrong with her?" Donna swallowed. "Why does she pull away from you but not from me?"

"No," he whispered, longing to reach out and stroke her hair. "Please, Sarah. Don't do this to me." 

And Donna realized at that moment that the Doctor knew. He recognized this disease, even if the Mr. Smith didn't. And that means that there is something big going on here. Something way beyond planet Earth.


	5. Chapter 5

Martha Jones gently peeled the sweaty bedclothes away from the clammy skin of the unconscious woman. Her fingers probed the skin with expert touch, seeking for anything unusual. Then she stopped, apparently finding what she was looking for. What alarmed her was the speed of this virus. Within mere hours, it had reduced this brave, lively woman into a mere, emaciated shadow. Sarah Jane had literally lost three pounds in the hour that Martha had been there talking quietly with the Doctor. She had never seen anything like this.

Motioning for the Doctor to move back and give Sarah Jane some privacy, she gently lifted Sarah into a sitting position. Martha carefully unbuttoned the nightdress, examining the pale skin of her chest. The skin was broken out in a strange kind of rash that caused the skin to swell alarmingly. She gingerly buttoned the dress, lowered the woman to back onto the bed and turned to face the Doctor.

"There is a lot of swelling going on in the chest area and -"

"Can you help her?" It was the Doctor who spoke but it was not the Doctor's voice. This was the voice of a man eaten alive by anxiety and fear. He looked expectantly at her, as though he knew what she was going to say but was denying it with every fiber of his being.

"I don't know." Martha gritted her teeth, frustrated with her own lack of ability. Frustrated that she had to admit defeat; the words tasted bitter in her mouth. The Doctor's face changed to bitter acceptance. She could see that he had known all along that she wouldn't be able to help Sarah Jane. That the little bit of hope he had held on to had evaporated with the three words that she had just uttered.

The Doctor stood in silence for a long moment, head bowed and mind whirling. Then he straightened and glanced at each of the three women in turn. "What do you know about a man recently taken into UNIT custody, Martha? A Mr. Limpet, I think his name is."

Martha frowned. "He's been under my charge for the past few days. His mind is definitely gone. He keeps saying something about previously having a government position but there's no record of him ever -"

"Is he sane?" The Doctor interrupted.

"Utterly mad."

"But a madman can be the most dangerous kind of man in the world." Swallowed the Doctor. He cast a worried look over to Sarah. "Will you stay with her, Donna?"

She nodded, sitting next to the bed and taking Sarah Jane's clammy hand in her own. "I won't leave her 'till you get back."

The Doctor nodded appreciatively and then strode from the room. Out of the house. Into the TARDIS. It was time to get some answers. No more games. And whoever had done this should know better than to play games with a Time Lord.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The Doctor hurried toward the prison cell with solid determination, pushing past protesting guards with an impatient wave of his hand and a quick brandish of the physic paper. After what seemed like a lifetime, he reached his destination and grasped the bars of the cell with both hands, glaring at the man within. "What have you done to her?"

Mr. Limpet stretched nonchalantly and yawned, propping himself up on one elbow. "I don't know what you're talking about, Doctor. I haven't done anything. I've been here the whole time. Ask anyone."

The Doctor pursed his lips in annoyance. "You know what I mean. What did you do?"

"I have no idea what you are referring to." Limpet got to his feet and scratched at his head. Then he smiled, winked, and put a finger to his lips, nodding towards the guard.

The Doctor sighed in frustration and turned to the boy, who quickly scampered out the door. Then he turned back to Limpet. "What did you do?" Each word sounded from behind clenched teeth. It took all of his self restraint not to sonic the doors open and take the man by the throat.

Limpet chuckled. "I must say, I wasn't certain that Miss Smith was the best choice for this experiment. But now I see that she was perfect. She is perfect."

"What is this about, Limpet?" The Doctor's voice had gone terrifyingly quiet as he struggled to keep his anger in check. "How could you have done this? It's impossible."

Limpet chuckled. "Obviously it's not impossible. Because I did do it. And, judging by your general appearance, my little experiment has gone better than planned." 

"No, no, no, no, no. You don't understand. You couldn't _possibly_ have infected her with this particular virus. Because there's only one planet in the entire universe that this virus has ever inhabited. Gallifrey."


	6. Chapter 6

_Years ago…onboard the Valiant_

The darkness. The gloom of the darkness had always appealed to him, ever since he was a small child. He could never understand the childish fear of the dark. The dark was his friend. It held more power than anyone ever dared to believe. It became a mantle of secrecy, hiding him from those who threatened him.

Now the darkness shields him from the prying eyes of those on the deck of the _Valiant_. The man in pinstripes, the woman in black, the man in a prison uniform, the woman in scarlet, the man in a dark suit, the cowering family in the corner. He knows that his very life could depend on remaining hidden. Each of these people, human and not, had the ability to send the Master's plans crashing down in a heap. Even little Martha Jones. He had heard the stories; who hadn't, really? She was capable of more than she seemed. Jack Harkness…obviously the immortal wasn't afraid to pull a trigger. The Jones family seemed wasted but isn't an animal the most dangerous when it is starved? And the Doctor. The Doctor who had spent the past year as an old man; his bodies capabilities had been so limited, his mind taunted and teased…surely this Time Lord won't be afraid to do something rash.

The Master has been caught, his reign supposedly ended. Now he stands in shame, his wrists efficiently cuffed behind his back. The man in the shadows cannot hear the proceedings from his position but he knows that the Doctor's mercy has been rejected. The face of the Master is angry, supposedly at the prospect of spending the rest of his days doing whatever the Doctor had suggested. The man shakes his head in disgust.

He sees her shaking hand snatch the gun. Mrs. Saxon. The pain that he would have expected to see on her face is strangely absent, replaced by an astonishingly distant expression. Her mind is strangely not present as her finger makes the decision to end the life of her husband. The gunshot seems to reverberate throughout the entire ship; the man can hear it from his far position. The Master staggers back in pain and shock. The man sees the Doctor skid across the floor to the side of his fellow Time Lord. He can see the pain mirrored on both of their faces.

'_Limpet…'_

He can hear his Master's voice in his head and he responds like he always has: _'Yes my Master. I am ready.'_

'_The time will soon be ripe. It is your task to complete now. Go. And avenge my death.'_

'_It will be done, my lord Master.'_

It seems to be a Time Lord's heartbeat before the Master goes limp in the Doctor's arms. The Doctor's reaction puzzles the man. Surely he should rejoice at the Master's death; didn't he remember the pain of the previous year? Finally the man puts the confusion out of his mind. It is replaced by rage and solid determination. The man's fists clench and his mind begins to work. Because he remembers.

Months later, he chuckles to himself. The Master's plans are in place. The board is set and the pieces are moving. He sits in his office on the top floor and rubs his hands together with glee. "Doctor," he hisses to himself. "You will be sorry that you ever came to this poor miserable speck of a planet."

He pushes the button as the comm device on his desk buzzes at him. "The solution is ready, sir."

"Then you know what to do, captain." The words come out in a sinister hiss as he rubs his hands together with sickening glee.

"Yes, sir."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The Doctor swallowed hard as he listened to the story. It was incredible. A man who was so infatuated with the Master that he had been able to wheedle secrets like the Gallifreyan Shade Disease from him. All this, simply for revenge. Because the Doctor understood the mind of the madman, more so than he'd care to admit. And he understood that this was a case purely of revenge, born from the diseased mind of the man before him.

"Let me help you," he said softly, clutching at the bars.

Limpet lay still on the bench, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You killed him, Doctor. You killed my Master. And I wanted you to suffer like I had. Like he had."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But please. Let me help you."

"No, Doctor. No. I am an old man now. And this is the end." He pulled a small vial from his pocket and the Doctor knew what it was, even before he uncorked it.

"No! Don't!" His screwdriver found his hand and he frantically unlocked the door.

But it was already too late. For a long moment, the Doctor stared at the body of this madman, trying to fight off the conflicting emotions. He could hear a rushing sound and then a stillness that threatened to consume them all as the connection in the madman's mind was broken. The Master had finally let him. Then he swallowed hard as remembrance flooded his aching brain. Sarah Jane. Now that he understood, it was time to get her the help that she needed. _Hold on, Sarah. I'm coming._


	7. Chapter 7

_She made her way out of the TARDIS, just like she had done so many times before. But as she stepped out of the blue box, she knew that this time was different. She was standing in a large forest, with trees stretching almost as far as she could see. She could see a medieval castle surrounded by a large wall. Something was familiar about that castle…_

_Then everything seemed to melt around her and she was standing in the corner of a room in the castle. She could see the Doctor standing defiantly before a shooting squad. Not the Doctor's current face. The one that she had known long ago. Shooting squad…memories came flooding back and she tried to cry out to him but no sound would come out of her mouth. She tried to hurl herself at the executioners as they began to fire their modern weapons. But it was as if they were ghosts because her body simply moved through them as though they weren't even there. The Doctor tried to escape from the whizzing bullets, dodging this way and that, but he could barely keep ahead of them. She knew it wouldn't last for long. _

_The bullet hit his chest before she could react and he staggered backwards, a crimson stain blossoming sickeningly over his starched shirt. He fell to the ground without a sound as the men continued to shoot at, determined to finish him. The laughter of their leader seemed to resound all around the tiny room. And then she couldn't help it. She screamed a piercing sound that should have echoed throughout the entire castle but for some reason…it didn't. _

"_Doctor!"_

She could feel strong hands lifting her, hands that were somewhat familiar. She shook her head, unable to open her eyes, unable to resist the emotions that were now churning in her aching mind. A sound, a cry, escaped her lips before she could stop it and she tried to break away from this unknown person who was yet very familiar. What was happening to her? Why was she doing this? She felt as though her eyelids were glued shut and no matter how much she tried, they would not open. Every fiber of her being told her to lash out against the unknown hands. She moaned and shook her head as the dream changed, shifting and morphing until the scene before her was crisp and in focus…

_She was leaning helplessly against the stone wall of the cellar, the iron chains on her wrists biting savagely into her flesh. Her head spun and ached as she tried to break free of the fog that imprisoned her just as tightly as the physical restraints. As she blinked to clear her vision, she could see Ruby and Luke on the screen in front of her. Luke had discovered her fate and was furiously arguing with Ruby._

"_Luke, don't." She wanted to scream the words but they only come out in a weak moan because she doesn't have enough strength left to speak. _

"_Bring my mum back right now or I'll get Mr. Smith to -" The squelching sound alerted her to what had happened before anyone could react. Luke cried out in pain as the knife cut into his gut. He fell to the ground in agony, blood streaming from the wound. _

_Ruby's maniacal laughter pierced her ears as she tried to scream in horror but only choked on her own voice. "Luke!"_

_Then Ruby appears before her, taunting her and teasing her as the bloody weapon clatters noisily to the ground. Ruby's hands, coated with the blood of her son, appear to be purple and smoking as she reaches out to smear the blistering liquid onto Sarah's face…_

The hands put her down, granting her relief from pain that she didn't know that she had been experiencing. She fights the dreams, praying only for sleep. Exhaustion is weighing heavily on her mind. The rest that she so desperately needs seems to be dancing teasingly just out of her reach. Then she began to dream again…no…not another dream….

_He was regenerating. She knew that. But this wasn't what she remembered. They were in a long dark hallway that she instinctively knew was underground. He glares at her as the light began to envelope his features._

"_This is your fault, Sarah."_

_And she looks down and sees the smoking gun in her hand. "No!" This time the scream sounds loud and shrill. "I'm sorry, Doctor! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I -" But she can't find the right words. She begins to sob uncontrollably, deep gasping sobs that shake her entire body. All she can do is look at the blood. Blood. Why does she keep seeing blood everywhere? Why can't it stop? Oh, why can't it STOP?_

"Sarah," The familiar voice sounds forceful and terrified at the same time, if that was even possible. It pierces her consciousness and brings her back to the surface of reality. It pulls her out of the nightmares, carrying her on silken wings back to the land of the living. Taking a deep breath, she becomes aware of her surroundings before she opens her eyes. The room is cold; she is covered with a thin blanket that does little to warm her. A soft light glows on the other side of her eyelids. Cautiously, she opens her eyes.

A face is the first thing that swims into focus. A familiar face…"Doctor," she whispers, suddenly conscious of the tears that are still wet on her cheeks. His angular features are rigid with worry that seems to disappear as he takes her hand and squeezes. This time she doesn't feel the need to resist.

"Hello Sarah Jane." His voice is choked with unshed tears that glisten in his eyes as he tries to offer an unconvincing smile. "How do you feel?"

She blinks several times. The interior of the TARDIS sickbay comes into focus. How familiar it looked, even now. "Doctor," she says again and her voice is stronger now. "Oh, Doctor." She lets the tears fall as he gathers her in the same warm embrace that she remembered from her youth. Apparently that was one thing that regenerations did not change about this incredible man. Her Doctor.


	8. Epilogue

Sarah Jane leaned heavily against the Doctor as they made their way up to her front door. The alien virus had sapped her strength in the few hours that it had ravaged her body and she had a long way to go before she was fully recovered. It was shocking to see the damage that it had caused in such a short period of time. Her emaciated body was barely able to support itself; the amount of weight she had lost left her looking like a walking skeleton. Luckily, he had been able to get her to the TARDIS medical bay in time and it looked like she would make a full recovery.

As the Doctor reached out for the doorbell, her hand stopped him. "Wait, Doctor."

He obliged her, lifting the exhausted woman off the pavement and carrying her to sit under a shady tree that sat on her front lawn. She rested her head against him for a long moment, breathing deeply, eyes closed. Then she looked up at him.

"What happened, Doctor?"

For a second, he was silent. "How much do you remember?"

She considered, her brow wrinkled in concentration. "I remember the house being broken into. And I remember…the nightmares. And then," she paused, looking up at him as though for confirmation. "I woke up in the TARDIS."

"You were infected with an alien virus, Sarah. The virus is known as the Shade disease. It originated on Gallifrey."

"But," Sarah considered. "That doesn't make sense."

The Doctor was silent for a moment, deciding the best course of action to take. "I had an enemy. A dangerous enemy. Far more dangerous than anyone you and I ever faced together. Another Time Lord. The Master." He swallowed. "He came to Earth some time ago, posing as Harold Saxon."

Sarah raised her eyebrows at the Doctor but nodded for him to continue.

"Martha was traveling with me at the time. The Master defeated me and took control of the planet for an entire year. I reversed it so that none of it ever happened. But his human wife remembered what the Master had done. She killed him. Mr. Limpet had been under the control of the Master, during his reign on Earth. He destroyed Limpet's mind with this plan for revenge. Once it had been completed, Limpet would become nothing more than a madman. Apparently, he used mind control to force Limpet to avenge his own death by taking revenge on someone…" He broke off, not willing to look at her. "Someone close to me."

Sarah leaned her head against his chest, letting her hair cover her face as she closed her eyes. "Why this particular disease as opposed to something on Earth?"

"It eats only very particular cells of the host, which is why you lost so much weight in the space of only a few hours. But that's not why the Master chose it to get his revenge. He chose it because…"

Sarah was silent, just willing him to go on. Because she knew that the answer would be painful for both of them to hear spoken aloud.

"This virus is not passed from person to person like so many Earth diseases. It can only be administered if the administer has the skin signature of the victim."

"Which is why they only grazed me with the needle at first." Mused Sarah. "I wondered…"

"The Master created Project Opal during his time as Prime Minister. The official story was that UNIT teams had salvaged an unknown disease from a wrecked spaceship. In truth, the Master fed them the disease so that Limpet would be able to infect the correct person when the time came."

Sarah swallowed hard and clenched her teeth. "Doctor," she murmured softly.

"Sarah, I'm so sorry." She looked at him and saw that he had tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry that you were put through this. It's my fault."

The Doctor swept his eyes up and down her gaunt form. It would be months at least before she recovered fully. Luckily, she would be able to truthfully pass off her weight loss to an illness. But he still couldn't shake the image in his mind: she pulled away from him, crying out in terror at his touch. He could see her face twisting in agony as a bloodcurdling scream was torn from her lips…

"Doctor," she said softly. "I'm all right. It's not your fault."

He gave an unconvincing laugh and turned away. She touched his cheek, forcing him to look at her. Her soft, gentle eyes met his and locked as she swallowed hard. "Doctor. Please."

"If I had been there to protect you none of this would have happened. You could have died, Sarah, if I hadn't been able to help you. What if Luke hadn't phoned me? I might never have known and there isn't any medicine on Earth that could have saved you. You could have died. You would have _died_." The last sentence came out in a pained whisper that had to be wrenched from inside his choked throat.

"Doctor." The word came out more forcefully this time and she looked into his eyes. "Why is this time different than all the other times I came close to death with you? Being your friend comes with a price. Do you think I would have stayed with you all this time if I hadn't been willing to pay?"

He returned her gaze, a bit more steadily now. "Oh, Sarah." He reached out and took her in his arms. "I know. But that doesn't stop me from worrying about you."

"I know,"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A million questions had constantly flowed through Luke's brain for the past few hours. The Doctor had returned to 13 Bannerman Road, scooped up his mum, and left with a solemn promise that he would be back shortly. Ever since then, he and Donna had only been able to wonder.

"I'm sure she's all right," Donna offered her sympathy to the teenager.

"What if she isn't? She's my mum, Donna. My mum." Luke spoke through gritted teeth as he paced back and forth in front of the phone. "The first person besides Maria who ever cared about me."

Donna chose not to pursue the matter. Instead, she pushed the mug of tea that she had prepared earlier towards him. "What if we heat this up, eh? Nice cup of tea?"

But before Luke could answer, the sound of the doorbell resonated throughout the entire house, magnified by his senses that had been heightened with anticipation. He flew to the door in an instant, fumbling anxiously with the lock. The flood of questions was gone, replaced with a single, burning uncertainty. Finally he was able to wrench the door open to reveal the two people standing before him.

The Doctor stood on the front porch and…yes! It was his mum! She was leaning heavily against the Doctor, seemingly unable to support her own weight. And no wonder. Seeing her fully dressed made her dramatic weight loss all the more obvious. But she was awake. And not only that, she was smiling at him.

"Mum," his voice sounded choked with unshed tears as he let the relief flood his body. "Oh, Mum."

And then he was in her arms, hugging her tightly as tears streamed down both their faces. They were beyond words as mother and son allowed themselves to cry tears of joy. Sarah's hand came up to stroke his hair as she murmured comforting words in his ear. He couldn't hear her words but it didn't matter, so elated was he to hear her voice.

The Doctor watched them, a smile on his face. Yes. She would be all right. His Sarah Jane. Donna appeared at his side, her own face lit up with a smile as they watched. Silently, they turned as one, returning to the TARDIS.

FIN

_Author's Notes:_

_I would like to extend a huge thank you to my beta x-Avarice-x. Thanks for your help and support!_

_Thank you to all of the lovely ladies at the Official Time Lord Registry. You guys have been here for me through the entire writing process! Thanks for letting me bounce ideas off of you and listening to my gripes as I wrote!_

_And a final thank you to everyone who read and reviewed. You guys are the reason I keep writing! Stay tuned for more from me in this fandom. _

_-MadameGiry25 (a.k.a. The Shadow)_


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